Why Kidney Disease Patients Need Iron Supply

For maintenance of good health and healthy red blood cells, the human body requires iron. Iron can be found in a variety of foods. You can also get iron from supplements prescribed by your health care provider. Iron helps your body in many ways. They help in the development of red blood cells. These red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. They, in turn, keep you energize daily to carry on with the day to day activities. The kidneys tell your body to make red blood cells. Iron helps make red blood cells healthy.

WHY KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS NEED IRON SUPPLY

People suffering from kidney disease need extra iron because:

• LACK OF IRON RICH FOODS IN DIET – Some foods that are rich in iron includes red meat and beans. However, people suffering from kidney disease are recommended to limit their diet to such foods. If you do not include iron rich foods in your regular diet, chances are you are more prone to suffer from iron deficiency. Your dietitian can help you choose foods that are good sources of iron, vitamins and other minerals. Check with your dietitian before making any changes in your diet.

• BLOOD LOSS DURING HEMODIALYSIS – At the end of each hemodialysis treatment, a small amount of blood is usually left behind in the dialyzer (artificial kidney). This can be a source of iron loss over time. In fact, when you are on dialysis, you will probably need extra iron because you will be taking another anemia medicine, that consumes the iron from your body. Your dialysis care team will do blood tests to find out if you have iron deficiency anemia and make the right plan of care for you.

HOW IRON CAN HELP KIDNEY PATIENTS

Kidney patients who opt for herbal remedies for kidney problems treatment are required to consume additional iron to maximize the agent’s effectiveness. Though in herbal treatments they don’t use up the existing iron supply of the body than other medications available. Still, it is always recommended that consume additional iron to replenish the stores if there is any.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT IRON TREATMENT PLAN

It is important for CKD patients to consult a doctor to get their iron level tested and determine further on the basis of reports if they have developed anemia because of a kidney condition. All the CKD patients should get their TSAT level and ferritin level tested on the monthly basis till the patient reach the targeted hemoglobin level.

A good starting point is to consume more iron-rich foods, such as green vegetables, eggs, and lean meats. For further support, iron supplements can be taken in tablet form by mouth or in liquid form. Overall, prevention and treatment are key. By opting for herbal remedies for kidney diseases you can save yourself from dangerous issues in the present and future.